Summary
- Each entity was charged $3,000 for the violation.
- Bets were accepted on college basketball games featuring South Dakota State University.
- Future game betting was also allowed, an illegal activity in the state.
When it comes to casino gaming operations, providers must remain vigilant and offer services based on state and federal regulations. If an operator breaks the rules, the regulator of the state steps in and issues a punishment. In South Dakota, two casinos and a sports betting operator were recently fined for breaching rules regarding sports wagers. Each entity had to pay a $3,000 fine for their actions.
In South Dakota, there are certain rules connected to sports betting that casinos must follow. Bets are not allowed on games that involve college or university teams in the state, as well as individual athletes in South Dakota. Future wagers are also not allowed if the teams or individuals taking part are not set in stone.
Internet Sports International, a sportsbook company, along with Mustang Sally’s and Gold Dust Hotel and Casino were penalized this week for breaching the rules above. Gold Dust accepted two bets on a basketball game involving South Dakota State University and allowing four futures to be placed on March Madness. Mustang Sally’s also allowed future bets on the tournament.
The Internet Sports International company operates kiosks at Gold Dust Hotel and Casino for self-service wagering and they were penalized for allowing future bets in March Madness and local University games.
Additional sports betting fines for casinos were issued in the state involving two employees. The individuals used their position to override the system to place a bet on NFL games that exceeded the $1,000 threshold. The amount of the fine for the employees is unknown.
Staying in Compliance
Fines such as these are issued by regulators in an effort to keep operators in compliance. It is essential that operators provide a safe and secure gaming environment, including providing betting options based on local regulations.
For the bets in question, the casinos and sportsbook company should have caught the wagers before they slipped through. Usually in this type of instance, an inexperienced employee posts the wagers, not knowing that this type of bet is not allowed. It’s a simple mistake and one that happens from time to time, but it results in improper bets.
Luckily, the casinos and sportsbook entity involved did not allow multiple wagers on the college basketball games. If the bets had remained in place and more players got in on the action, the amount of the fine would have likely been much higher.
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